The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-10-27
ADVANTAGES OF FALL PLOW-
ING.

be urged in favor of fall blowing Of
every acre of land that can be turned.
First-The spring is a very short
season. [ have a special reason for
personally considering this fact, for
by unavoidable neglect of fall blowing,
the oats and corn which should have
been in the ground so much earlier
were at least three or four weeks later
than they should have been. The
work of blowing 80 or 40 acres of
land, fitting it in a thorough manner
and sowing and planting is a good
deal to crowd into one month. And
it is safe to say that the final compile
ton of the spring work would have
been delayed at least two weeks longer
but for the timely and most effective
aid of the Acme pulverizing harrow,
which followed the pillow closely, and
put the land into fine condition and
covered the seed so much more rapid
ly and perfectly hat it fastened the
work at least two weeks. Had my
land been fall plowed, it would have
been all fitted in the best name and
sown and planted a month earlier than
it has been this season.
Every farmer experiences the same.
There is never time enough in the
spring and when the work is done
and the last row of corn is planted, he
thinks how much better it might have
been had it been in the ground two
weeks before. Fall blowing hastens
spring work. There is abundant time
to do the blowing in the fall in the
best manner, to take ample time over
it, and the teams are in the best work
ing condition. The land is in good
order for the work and the weather is
propitious. If it is not so at times
there is so much time that the farmer
is never troubled or worried about the
delay. There is time enough. Thus
the work of blowing the stubbles goes
on comfortably and is done well.
In the spring when the hurry comes,
the plowed land is worked very quick
ly with the Acme pulverizing harrow,
which levels and breaks it and makes
it fine and mellow and ready for the
seed so we'll that it removes the only
objection that has been urged against
blowing land in the fall. AS this
implement covers SO much land at one
! stroke and works in such a manne as
to break up the ground, stir and turn
it, if necessary, the land may be gone
over three times, and yet the work be
done three times as quickly as it could
be plowed, and time spent in the ordi-
nary narrowing is saved besides. This
| gain in time is a most important mat
ter at a season when time is sometimes
everything and the success of the
crops depends upon an early sowing
and planting to escape u~nfavorable
weather afterwards. This gain also
hastens every other work up to the
harvesting, and with corn is a security
against damage or loss of the crop by
an early frost.
Second-The condition Of the soil
is much improved by fall sowing. 1t
is broken up and left in a rough state
and may be safely plowed a little
deeper than it has ever been before, at
this season. A little of the subsoil
mixed with the surface soil every year
quickly deepens the cultivatable part
of it, and the exposure to the winter
frosts develops the latent fertility of
this addition. In the spring the work
ing with the Acme pulverizing har-
row mixes this subsoil with the other
soil and SO contributes at every plow-
ing some new material to furnish
plant food. "A strong heavy soil is
mellowed and made fine and can be
more easily brought into the best con-
dition for the seed than u%nplowed soil
can be. Moreover, the fall blowing
is to some extent equivalent to drain
ing, and fall plowed land will dry out
and become fit for working some days
sooner than it would have been ready
for blowing, had this work been de-
ferred.
Third-When the land is rich in
organic matter, such as a sod, or. a
heavy stubble, it is much benefited by
fall blowing, which covers into the
soil the vegetable matter, so that it de-
Gays and becomes more quickly avail
able for plant food than if left un-
plowed until the spring. The danger
of loss Of fertility by the washing Of
the heavy rains, the rapid melting of
the snow and the inevitable loss of
much soluble plant food by percola-
ton thrOuph the land is also avoided.